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Staff Engineer - job 1 of 3

MongoDB’s mission is to empower innovators to create, transform, and disrupt industries by unleashing the power of software and data. We enable organizations of all sizes to easily build, scale, and run modern applications by helping them modernize legacy workloads, embrace innovation, and unleash AI. Our industry-leading developer data platform, MongoDB Atlas, is the only globally distributed, multi-cloud database and is available in more than 115 regions across AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. Atlas allows customers to build and run applications anywhere—on premises, or across cloud providers. With offices worldwide and over 175,000 new developers signing up to use MongoDB every month, it’s no wonder that leading organizations, like Samsung and Toyota, trust MongoDB to build next-generation, AI-powered applications.

The Storage Engines team is building WiredTiger, the open-source storage engine powering MongoDB. WiredTiger employs modern hardware architectures and software algorithms to achieve extraordinary performance for the most intricate applications. This team includes database engineering pioneers with decades of experience who are recognised as deep domain specialists.

Engineering at MongoDB is globally distributed, with a mix of folks being fully remote, hybrid, or in-office. Most of our team calls Sydney home, but we have folks elsewhere in NSW, Victoria, New Zealand, Vancouver, and Boston. We work closely with other teams in Sydney and North America. bringing together different skills and perspectives. Together, we're pushing MongoDB forward to meet the growing needs of our customers.

Our team champions a strong culture of inclusivity, diversity, and collaboration. If you want to work on a collaborative team that applies great engineering fundamentals to deliver core features of a popular database, join us! Let’s change what’s possible for application developers, system architects, and database operators.

We are looking to speak to candidates who are based in Sydney for our hybrid working model.

You’re an ideal candidate if:

  • You have 10+ years of experience in programming, debugging, and performance tuning highly concurrent and/or distributed C/C++ software systems. Especially if you have worked in C for a number of those years.
  • You have a track record as an effective technical leader. You love helping teams be successful at solving vaguely defined problems in iterative and measurable ways. You put the customer first, and don’t hesitate to cross team boundaries in search of the right solution.
  • You have a solid grasp of related systems fundamentals, such as cache management, log-based recovery, transactions or performance profiling.
  • You’re familiar with highly concurrent systems and concepts such as optimistic and pessimistic concurrency control and lock-free programming.
  • You’ve worked on large, highly available, scalable and performant systems such as databases, high frequency trading platforms, cloud storage services, or maybe even Mars rovers.
  • You have excellent verbal and written technical communication skills; you enjoy collaborating with colleagues and mentoring junior engineers.
  • You enjoy learning new things in the domains of computer science and software engineering.

As a Staff Engineer on the Storage Engines team you will:

  • Be directly responsible for delivering on goals which span a 6-18 month timeframe
  • Play a key role in defining the roadmap for the next 12 months
  • Write well tested, production-ready code in C (our test infrastructure also leverages C++, Python and Javascript).
  • Drive improvements to processes and tools to help us more confidently make changes to high risk parts of our codebase
  • Use our data warehouse to inform decisions and measure the impact of work the team ships
  • Investigate performance regressions and guide the team through making complex changes that have to balance performance against other requirements
  • Help cultivate a strong talent bench through interviewing, mentoring and knowledge sharing
  • Develop, maintain and apply expertise on cutting edge database and distributed systems research from industry and academia
  • Handle (or lead the effort to handle) time-sensitive customer escalations
  • Collaborate with stakeholders and engineering teams across the company to jointly work on large initiatives
  • Be open to occasional (once a year) travel to the US

Success Measures:

  • In the first month:
    • You have understood the high level architecture of WiredTiger and fixed a few bugs
    • You are starting to develop relationships with key stakeholders across your VPs organisation
  • In three months:
    • You have diagnosed and fixed a few customer or testing-reported issues
    • You have contributed to the development in C of a project slated for the next release of MongoDB
    • You are starting to take on code review responsibilities and are involved in reviewing the design for new features
  • In six months:
    • You have started mentoring other engineers on the team
    • You are leading the development of a new feature
    • You are beginning to involve yourself in planning and roadmapping efforts
  • In twelve months:
    • You have successfully shipped multiple major contributions to WiredTiger
    • You own a department level goal

Benefits:

  • 5 weeks annual leave
  • 22 weeks paid parental leave for both parents that covers childbirth, adoption, surrogacy and fostering. In your first year with MongoDB this benefit is reduced
  • Family forming assistance which covers fertility care, adoption and surrogacy
  • Subsidised health & dental insurance for you and your dependents (through Medibank)
  • Classpass credits, a Headspace subscription and Vaccination vouchers as part of our broader health and wellness programs
  • In-office Lunch (on us) up to 3 days per week

To drive the personal growth and business impact of our employees, we’re committed to developing a supportive and enriching culture for everyone. From employee affinity groups, to fertility assistance and a generous parental leave policy, we value our employees’ wellbeing and want to support them along every step of their professional and personal journeys. Learn more about what it’s like to work at MongoDB, and help us make an impact on the world!

MongoDB is committed to providing any necessary accommodations for individuals with disabilities within our application and interview process. To request an accommodation due to a disability, please inform your recruiter.

MongoDB is an equal opportunities employer.

 Req ID -1263118567

 

Average salary estimate

$175000 / YEARLY (est.)
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What You Should Know About Staff Engineer, MongoDB

At MongoDB, we're on a mission to empower innovators, and we're looking for a passionate Staff Engineer to join our fantastic team in Sydney! With the groundbreaking MongoDB Atlas at the heart of what we do, our platform is revolutionizing the way organizations build and run applications across cloud environments. You'll be part of our Storage Engines team, driving the development of WiredTiger—the open-source storage engine that defines performance and reliability in modern applications. Imagine working alongside top-tier engineering pioneers in a collaborative and inclusive environment where your voice is heard and valued! As a Staff Engineer at MongoDB, you'll be hands-on with the design and delivery of impactful projects that last from 6-18 months, crafting production-ready code in C while ensuring we keep our standards high. Your extensive experience in programming highly concurrent and distributed C/C++ software is essential as you help us tackle complex challenges. Here, you’ll not only mentor fellow engineers but also define the roadmap for our next innovations. Join us, and let’s reshape the future for application developers and database operators—all while enjoying a hybrid work model that keeps work-life balance at the forefront. If you thrive in dynamic environments and love solving intricate problems, we want to hear from you!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Staff Engineer Role at MongoDB
What are the key responsibilities of a Staff Engineer at MongoDB?

As a Staff Engineer at MongoDB, you will be directly responsible for delivering on goals spanning a 6-18 month timeframe, writing robust code in C, and defining the team's roadmap. You'll also drive improvements to processes and tools, investigate performance regressions, mentor junior engineers, and collaborate across teams on large-scale initiatives.

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What qualifications are needed for the Staff Engineer role at MongoDB in Sydney?

The ideal candidate for the Staff Engineer position at MongoDB should have at least 10 years of experience in programming and debugging C/C++ systems, with a strong understanding of related systems fundamentals. Technical leadership experience and the ability to communicate effectively, along with familiarity in working with high-concurrency systems, are crucial for this role.

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How does MongoDB support professional development for Staff Engineers?

MongoDB places a strong emphasis on employee growth by offering mentoring opportunities, cross-team collaborations, and access to cutting-edge research in database and distributed systems. Staff Engineers are encouraged to continuously learn and share knowledge, making MongoDB a fantastic place for career progression.

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What is the culture like for Staff Engineers at MongoDB?

At MongoDB, the culture promotes inclusivity, diversity, and collaboration. Staff Engineers work in a supportive environment where teamwork is valued, and every voice is heard. The remote and hybrid work options mean flexibility while still experiencing strong team cohesion.

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What are the success measures for a Staff Engineer in the first year at MongoDB?

Success as a Staff Engineer at MongoDB involves understanding the high-level architecture of WiredTiger, contributing directly to project releases, mentoring team members, and leading new feature development. Achieving these milestones within the first year showcases your ability to impact both the team and the organization positively.

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Common Interview Questions for Staff Engineer
Can you describe your experience with concurrent C/C++ systems as it relates to the Staff Engineer role?

When describing your experience with concurrent systems, emphasize specific projects you've worked on that involved multi-threading, concurrency control, or debugging performance issues. Highlight techniques you employed, such as lock-free programming or transaction management, to demonstrate your depth of knowledge relevant to the Staff Engineer position.

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What strategies do you use for debugging and performance tuning in distributed systems?

In answering this question, share specific methodologies you've adopted for debugging such as using logging and profiling tools. Discuss how you analyze system performance metrics and implement optimizations. Relating your strategies back to previous projects can provide concrete examples that showcase your capabilities relevant to MongoDB's needs.

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How do you approach leading a technical team through ambiguous projects?

Talk about your leadership style and how you prioritize collaboration and clear communication. Explain how you guide teams by breaking down complex problems into manageable tasks and encouraging a customer-first mindset. Sharing past experiences where you successfully led teams through challenging projects can validate your approach.

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What role does data play in decision-making for your projects?

Discuss how you leverage data analytics and metrics to inform your project decisions. Provide examples of how utilizing data warehouses or performance benchmarks led to improved project outcomes and delivered value to users, especially in a high-stakes environment like MongoDB.

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Describe a time when you had to balance performance against other requirements.

Use this as an opportunity to showcase your problem-solving skills. Share a specific example where you had to prioritize between performance and factors such as usability or maintainability, explaining your thought process and the outcome to demonstrate your analytical abilities.

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How have you handled time-sensitive customer escalations in the past?

Explain your approach to handling escalations, emphasizing the importance of customer communication and quick problem resolution. Share a specific instance where your actions led to a satisfactory outcome, illustrating how your leadership in stressful situations aligns with MongoDB's customer-first values.

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What has been your experience with mentoring junior engineers?

Highlight your mentoring philosophy and how it aligns with fostering growth among junior engineers. Provide examples of how you've effectively communicated complex concepts and helped team members improve their skills, illustrating your commitment to nurturing talent at MongoDB.

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What recent advancements in distributed systems do you find exciting?

Share your thoughts on cutting-edge research or innovations in distributed systems that you believe could impact the industry. Discuss how you stay informed about new developments, demonstrating your enthusiasm for continuous learning—an important trait for a Staff Engineer at MongoDB.

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How do you ensure quality in the code you write for production systems?

Talk about the best practices you follow for writing production-ready code, including rigorous testing, code reviews, and leveraging CI/CD pipelines. Highlight how these practices contribute to MongoDB’s goals of delivering reliable software and maintaining high standards.

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What do you think is the most important aspect of a successful product roadmap, especially in a fast-paced environment?

Discuss the importance of adaptability and collaboration in developing a successful product roadmap. Talk about how identifying user needs, leveraging data, and incorporating feedback from stakeholders can lead to meaningful innovations that align with MongoDB's objectives.

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MongoDB empowers innovators to create, transform, and disrupt industries by unleashing the power of software and data.

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DATE POSTED
April 12, 2025

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